Daijiworld Media Network - Nashik
Nashik, Apr 5: Nine members of a family, including six children, were killed after their vehicle plunged into an unprotected roadside well in Dindori town of Nashik district, police said.
The victims were travelling in a multi-utility vehicle (MUV) when it fell into a nearly 25-metre-deep water-filled well around 10.30 pm on Friday, trapping all occupants as the vehicle submerged completely.
District collector Ayush Prasad said the family was returning home after attending a get-together organised by a private coaching institute. They were residents of Indore village, about six kilometres from Dindori.
Preliminary findings suggest the accident occurred due to poor visibility and lack of safety measures. “The cement wall around the well was too low. The driver appears to have missed it in the dark, and the vehicle went straight in,” the collector said.
Rescue teams, along with locals, launched an operation using cranes to retrieve the submerged vehicle. Police inspector Bhagwan Mathure said the vehicle was pulled out after over two hours, and all nine occupants were declared dead at a government hospital.
The deceased included driver Sunil Dargode (32), his wife Reshma (27), Asha Dargode (32), and six children aged between seven and 14 years, including five girls and an 11-year-old boy.
Police have registered two FIRs under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. One case has been filed against the well owner, Rajendra Raje, for failing to provide adequate safety measures, while another has been registered against the deceased driver for alleged rash and negligent driving.
Authorities said the well, located on private land in a residential layout, lacked proper fencing or protective barriers. Officials also noted that the local civic body had earlier directed the owner to close it.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an ex gratia compensation of ?5 lakh for the kin of each deceased and expressed grief over the tragedy.
A probe has been ordered to examine permissions for the well and lapses in safety compliance, even as questions are raised over how such a structure remained open in a populated area.